


Candy Flowers

by Mabarigroomer



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Bad Puns, Established Relationship, Gen, One Shot, Unconventional Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mabarigroomer/pseuds/Mabarigroomer
Summary: Hello, I’m not great with titles so this is what I came up with 😬 Also I want to make a point that I do not have any issues with men/women who strip for a living. A job is a job and if you try to be a good person and work hard it’s nobody’s business... ANYWAY enjoy.
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 14
Kudos: 49





	Candy Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I’m not great with titles so this is what I came up with 😬 Also I want to make a point that I do not have any issues with men/women who strip for a living. A job is a job and if you try to be a good person and work hard it’s nobody’s business... ANYWAY enjoy.

Candy stood with her arms folded staring at the business sign  _ “ Michelangelo's Art and Crafts Store.”  _ “ Good grief” she muttered with an eye roll. Of all the places she had to spend her day off, it had to be Narin city’s art district. It was eleven in the morning, a time where she was usually asleep or at least drinking a cup of black coffee watching shitty daytime tv. 

Today was different though, she looked at her phone. The store was supposed to open at 11 o’clock. She frowned “ what the hell is taking so long?” 

“ I know right?” 

Candy’s eyes glanced to her right. A short brunette, arguably an inch or two above five feet, was standing next to her at the entrance. Candy couldn’t help but snicker. The gal was wearing a t- shirt with a rhino on the front saying  _ “ Real Unicorns Have Curves.”  _ She, too, was looking at her phone, which Candy noted had sparkly unicorns on the case  _ “ What is she twelve?”  _ Candy thought. Between that, the braided pony-tails and were those _ skorts?  _ Candy concluded this girl was a complete nerd. 

Candy rolled her eyes. Of course she would end up in line with friggin’ Rainbow Bright. Suddenly they both spied movement at the front door, the store’s sign was flipped to open and a middle aged woman unlocked the door. “ Welcome!” The woman greeted “ my name is Pattie if you need help finding anything let me know.”

The brunette with unicorns politely let Candy enter first. “ Thanks,” Candy said flatly. Entering the building Candy was hit with the smell of paint and wood. Fake flowers of varying colors and species were held in organized displays by the register along with some weird green foam that she assumed was for flower arrangements. Each isle was divided by each art technique and brand of art supply. The store, literally seemed to have everything and more. “ Just great” she sighed. 

Her thoughts flashed back to Ben’s bedroom. It was the afternoon before her shift started and Ben was still working at the convenience store a few blocks away from their apartment. She took the opportunity to look through his room. This included tossing his dirty laundry in a hamper, making his bed, and occasionally root through his bedroom closet for contraband. “ Mom stuff” she scoffed. Ben was about twelve when he stopped talking to her. She shrugged to herself when she tossed a particularly smelly pile of dirty clothes in his black mesh hamper.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Ben, hell the kid was more responsible than her sometimes. Worry that he was experimenting with drugs crossed her mind when he would go out nights. He did side jobs here and there, but when he started coming later than she did and every conversation turned into a yelling match or tense silence; she could see the bright little boy she loved turning into a bitter stranger. 

Looking through his closet she mentally prepared herself for what she might find. “ I swear to God Benjamin if I find a fucking gun in here” she muttered to herself. Opening the closet door she found it filled with old clothes she made him hang up years ago, dress shirts and slacks that would have fit him two years ago. Jackets and t-shirts she had bought him with the tags still attached. Nothing suspicious at a glance. “ I was a teenager once” she reasoned and moved the clothing to one side looking at all the shelves. She looked until she found a black messenger bag hidden on the top shelf she hadn’t seen before.

Candy felt heat rise in her face. There were plenty of things she felt she had failed to instil into Ben raising him; stealing however was another thing entirely. “ Goddamnit Benjamin” she hissed. She pulled the bag from the shelf and looked through it. 

“ What the hell?” She thought it was a woman’s purse or a backpack but inside she found “ art..stuff?” The bag had a few sketch books and pens. She even found a small watercolor palette and a little brush. She found herself sitting on the floor looking through his sketches. Tears pricked the edges of her eyes. The detail and colors through the images were made with a patient and steady hand. 

His drawings and watercolor paintings depicted his everyday life, self portraits, nature- Candy gasped holding up a watercolor painting, the image was of a woman, an angel kneeling over a broken pillar. Her face was obscured by her arms in a grieving position, her long flowing pinkish orange hair draped over her arms. The portrait gave Candy goosebumps. She touched one of her pink locks, and felt a strange sensation of pride and profound sadness.

Quietly she shoved everything back into the back and returned it to its place.

Now standing in the middle of the store she felt some sense of affirmation. Ben’s birthday was in a few weeks and as tired she was from the night before she determined to get him something from this hoity-toity dump- even if it required her to enter out of her comfort zone.

“Excuse me” A young man, probably not much older than Ben was staring at her. He was wearing a name tag shaped like a pallet with the name “ Brayden”. “ Ma’am,” he said tersely.  _ “Who the frig does he think he’s calling MA’AM?”  _ Candy thought. Apparently her expression at the name gave her feelings away. Brayden rolled his eyes and said “ All customers must leave bags that are 8 by 10 inches or bigger at the register with an associate.” 

“ Are you kidding? Do you walk around all day carrying a tape measure judging the size of ladie’s bags?” Candy snapped. The kid’s mouth flattened to a straight line “it’s to prevent theft,  _ ma’am _ .” Candy glanced around the store. More customers had arrived into the store, beginning to stare. Candy could hear some scoffing nearby. Another memory crossed her mind:

She was 14 and pregnant trying to buy a carton of orange juice at the mini mart by her father’s house. The customers tried to stare at her when they thought she wouldn’t notice. An older woman whispered to her husband loudly  _ “ a girl that young pregnant? You know she isn’t married. What is this world coming to.”  _ Even the cashier shook his head at her watching her try to hide her baby bump in her jacket. She would never forget hearing him chuckle on her way out of the store the word  _ “idiot.”  _

Candy suddenly saw red.

*****

Poppy was an isle down looking at sketch books. She preferred painting but since she and Tora had taken to hiking she had been sketching more. She briefly reminisced about them stopping at Narin River Park sketching trees when she heard the sound of a woman yelling. Peeking out of the aisle she saw the pink haired woman she met at the entrance yelling at the employee.  _ “ You think I’m going to steal something? This bag is worth more than you make in a MONTH buddy!” _

Poppy watched as the woman, Pattie intervened and gave her an ultimatum: “leave your bag at the register or leave.” Poppy could only see the back of the pink haired woman’s gray tracksuit. VIXEN was embroidered on the back with a gothic styled font. She could see her trembling as she handed Pattie the bag, pulling out her wallet in the process. 

Poppy pretended to ignore the situation as The VIXEN walked her direction with tears in her eyes. When things settled and the employees went about their business, Poppy pretended to meander near the aisle near the crying woman.  _ “You’re being a nosy hamster, Pops”  _ she though  _ “ but I kinda feel bad for her.”  _ The woman in the track suit was staring at a wall of paints. She looked frustrated, holding a painting kit in one hand and a tube of paint in the other.

Poppy was looking at the 6 oz oil paints when she glanced over hearing the woman muttering something under her breath.

*****

“ The fuck is a hue? And…” she looked at the tube of paint that stated it was  _ “professional artist’s choice” _ . Something like this shouldn’t be this difficult, but Candy didn’t know anything about art let alone the supplies. Ben deserved better than cheap stuff, but none of these items were cheap. Not that she couldn’t afford it. Still she had a debt to pay every month that took a large bite of every paycheck she got. It didn’t help that every brand had some spiel that it was the best. They all couldn’t be the best!? And what the hell is  _ phthalo  _ green?

“ A hue is like the family of a color” Candy turned her head to see the “unicorn girl” again. Candy looked around, she really didn’t know what she was doing and she'd be damned if she asked  _ Brayden _ for help.  _ “ Fuck that guy and that bitch Pattie too”  _ she thought. She took a deep breath and asked quietly “ Do you think you can help me find some art stuff for my son?”

Candy might as well have asked her if she wanted to meet Santa. The girl's brown eyes popped open into almost cartoony delight. “ Of course! What grade is he in? I’ve been drawing and painting since kindergarten!” The girl prattled on and on while Candy bit her lip.  _ “What grade is he in?”  _ Candy replayed in her mind. Candy was turning twenty-nine next month. She never enjoyed explaining the age gap between her and Ben. She was hurt when she heard Ben tell his coworkers she was his sister, but she understood. It wasn’t any easier when she was younger struggling for money. 

“ That’s nice” Candy was trying to play nice the sooner she got what she needed the sooner she could forget about this day. “ He likes to draw and paint too, but I don’t know what to get him.”

The girl with the brown braids tapped her chin, “ well I got a lot of mileage out of sketch pads growing up, I can show you where to find them.” Candy nodded, surprised a little that the girl didn’t bug her about Ben’s grade. Hell for all she knew this kid could be going to the same school as him. Candy followed the girl down an aisle filled with pads of paper of varying sizes and textures. “ I like this brand,” she pulled a medium size sketch pad with a cover saying it contained five hundred sheets of paper. “ It's bristol board. It’s sturdy and it won’t bleed through if he wants to experiment with it ” she said. 

Candy examined it. It was good but she wanted to get Ben something different. The sketchbooks he used looked worn out and cheap. He deserved something nicer, more professional. Candy weighed the pad in her hand. “ I was thinking maybe like a sketch book.” The ‘unicorn girl’ smiled “ I know just the ones! Oh by the way, my name is Poppy.”

“ My name is Candice, but friends call me Candy.

Candy cringed internally  _ “ what friends? And what are you doing telling her your real name?”  _ Poppy put her hand out to shake her hand. Candy tried to hide her smirk as Poppy shook her hand.  _ “ pfft. Nerd”  _ she thought to herself still this little nerd was really helpful. _ “ People are nice because they either are too naive to know better or they got an angle”  _ she thought. She learned that long ago, still as they walked the aisles together and chatted Candy felt Poppy fit the first. 

****

Poppy seemed to genuinely delight in helping Candy find items for Ben. “ I really like your jacket,” Poppy said as they waited in line to check out. “ I’ve always liked that brand” Poppy glanced down at herself “but they don’t generally come in my sizes.” Candy raised a brow at her. The way Poppy looked at herself, she suddenly didn’t look like the confident girl with a unicorn phone she met an hour earlier. 

“ Eh some designers don’t realize women actually have curves. When I got my tits and ass done I pretty much had to buy a completely new wardrobe. I don’t mind people looking but I don’t want some poor fool to lose an eye if a button flies off.”

Poppy snickered and Candy suddenly realized the laughter was contagious.  _ “Ahem”  _

Poppy and Candy turned to see Pattie ready to check them out.  _ “ Maybe she isn’t fond of my brand of humor”  _ Candy thought with a smirk on her face. Pattie smiled politely and rang up the items.With Poppy’s help, Candy found a leather bound sketch book, pens and pencils, watercolor paper (after thorough deliberation of what kind of paints Ben actually used) a set of watercolor paints and paper. The supplies weren’t cheap but Poppy was certain that if this is what Ben enjoyed this would be a great start. 

Pattie rang up the items and put them in a paper bag. “ Thank you for shopping at Michelangelo’s” she said. Candy put out her manicured hand wiggling her fingers. Pattie seemed to grit her teeth and handed Candy’s leather bag back to her. “ Thank you” Candy said bitter-sweetly. Candy found herself waiting for Poppy to check out and they both stood outside. 

****

Candy was different than a lot of women Poppy knew. She had her friend Erdene’s body confidence yet she carried a vulnerability that caused her to be defensive. In certain ways it reminded her of someone.“  _ Tora  _ talks a big game too, but he’s just a big teddy bear” she thought, smiling fondly about her six foot three boyfriend of four months. 

Candy seemed to relate to her about clothing shopping, though Poppy was surprised to hear Candy had implants. “ Thanks for helping me kid,” Candy said “ I’m pretty sure you know more about this stuff than the judgmental morons that work there.” Poppy shrugged, Candy’s anger over her bag still looming. “ No problem. I like helping if I can” Poppy replied.

Candy seemed to look uncomfortable, like she had something to say but couldn't make the words. 

*****

_ “ Just ask, it's not like you're asking her on a date”  _ Candy had work friends, but after the club closed everyone left to do their own thing. It didn’t help that she was the star attraction. Some of the girls were jealous of how many tips she got, though management made sure that any drama was kept at a minimum.

“ I saw some coffee place around the corner,” Candy said, trying to sound braver than she felt. “ You want to get a latte or something?” Poppy seemed a little unsure.  _ “ God she thinks your gay.”  _

“ I want to buy you a coffee as thanks, I’m not hitting on you or anything” Candy said quickly. Poppy looked confused and then laughed. “ Sure, let me text my boyfriend to pick me up there.” Poppy brought out her phone, she sent off a quick text and smiled. 

The coffee place was called  _ “ Where Have You Bean?”  _ And Poppy and Candy laughed together how ridiculous the title was. It was a little too hippy-dippy for Candy but Poppy seemed to enjoy it. They both ordered their coffee, Candy paying with a 100 dollar bill making the barista scramble for change. Candy noted Poppy liked sweet drinks, she ordered a white chocolate peppermint mocha while Candy preferred iced coffee with a splash of soy milk.

Sitting at a small table, Candy found herself calming down a little.  _ “This is what normal women do who have friends”  _ she mentally concluded. Poppy set her mocha down and then asked “ So do you have a job in the city?” Candy felt herself smile sadly,  _ “the moment of truth.”  _ Candy looked Poppy in the eye and said “ I’m a stripper.” 

Poppy looked a little surprised but did not recoil or imply she was uncomfortable. “ Wow! That’s really cool. What club do you work at? Did you have to take pole dancing courses?”

Maybe it was the sugar but Poppy excitedly asked Candy questions about her job in a rapid enthusiastic fashion that actually made Candy look concerned. “ You seem really interested in the industry, are you looking for a job?” Candy joked, more or less relieved Poppy was interested instead of judgemental. 

“ Oh I just like learning about what people do, every job has nobility in it.”

Candy laughed at that. “ That’s really cute kid,” she said sarcastically “ there's nothing noble shaking your ass at a bunch of horny old men to get better tips.”

Poppy suddenly looked uncomfortable, “ maybe but it pays the bills doesn’t it? Do you enjoy it? It can’t be easy either” 

Candy suddenly felt numb, like her heart was locking itself up. She remembered the day she slapped Ben across his face in front of his work.

_ “ I sure as hell didn’t raise my son to be a self centered judgemental asshole!” _

She felt like shit that day. Practically begged Ben not to move out after.  _ “ Do I enjoy what I do even though it hurts my son?” _ She thought.

Candy stared at Poppy, this idealistic little woman who was trying to find a silver lining in everything. She didn’t know how hard it was finding well paying work for someone like Candy. What it was like being a kid raising a kid, feeling shame that she wasn’t enough for him. Feeling like she hadn’t any options.  _ “ Don’t take this personal crap out on her,”  _ Candy thought  _ “ she’s trying to be kind to you. Trying to empower you for some reason. Let it go and move on to something else.”  _

Time must have passed because Poppy immediately apologized “ I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. We can talk about other stuff if you like.”

Candy looked up, zoning out at her iced coffee. “ Nah Hon, you’re good. I kinda try to keep a low profile about my work in public. What do  _ you  _ do? Are you in school or something?”

Poppy smiled, relieved that she didn’t offend. “ I’m an assistant editor for a small publishing company. It’s hard work but I love helping people with their writing.”

Candy smirked, this girl was a walking Disney princess. Next thing Candy expected was birds and squirrels to break into song around them. 

“ You really like helping people huh?” Candy asked. It apparently sounded gruffer than she intended because Poppy made a little embarrassed shrug “ well I guess.”  _ “ Don’t be a bitch Candy, this girl has more soul in one pinky than you do in your whole damn body. Be fucking nice.”  _ Candy mentally scolded. “ No, I mean it's cool. There's a lot of scummy people around. Just be careful” Candy said. 

The two chatted for about thirty minutes talking about little bits of everything. Candy was continuously surprised how ‘open’ Poppy was. Candy wasn’t used to being spoken to like a regular person. “ Did you grow up in the city?” Candy asked.

Poppy was fiddling with her phone, a text from her boyfriend Candy assumed. “ No, I grew up in Moonbright. Only lived here for about eight months.” 

“ Explains a lot. Not everybody is as friendly” Candy panicked a moment “ not that I mind.” Candy briefly imagined her son dating a girl like Poppy. Poppy was so damn sweet. Ben needed someone as different from his Mom as possible. Candy began to feel sad again.

“ Well my boyfriend is here, I better get going” Poppy reached to shake Candy’s hand again. Candy shook her hand, a little disappointed their coffee chat was over. “ Uh if you ever want to go shopping or something, I can help you find stuff that will fit you well” Candy said standing from her chair. Poppy smiled. “ I’d like that. Poppy handed Candy a business card with her number on it. Candy held the card in her manicured hand and walked with Poppy through the cafe door. Her heart stopped.

***** 

Tora was driving Quincy’s blue porsche panamera. Not exactly his style but it served its purpose. He parked illegally by the cafe, knowing Poppy would be there in a moment. She mentioned she met a woman for coffee while she waited for him to finish up work at Quincy’s. He was looking at his phone when he heard a soft tap on the window. He smiled, Poppy was dressed in the shirt he bought her when she dragged him to go clothing shopping a week before. He exited the vehicle giving her a hug when his gold eyes caught a glimpse of the woman at the cafe door.

“Fuck” he said under his breath. Poppy looked up at him, confused. “Uh..?” She looked at Tora and back at Candy. Candy looked a little upset and even a little nervous.

“ Gonna take a wild guess you know her?” Poppy asked him with a brow raise. Tora beat her to the chase “ Not the way you think, sweetheart.” Tora moved Poppy towards the car door. “ I need a minute, here’s the keys to sit in the car.” Poppy stood, unimpressed and not willing to move. “ What’s going on Tora?” Tora looked at her pleadingly, “ Please just give me a second.”

Candy walked closer towards them, she pulled a pack of cigarettes from her bag. She tried to hide her smirk  _ “ I knew Claude was full of shit. The Tiger of Ares Street gay? Hah!”  _ She thought. She then looked into his eyes and saw a warning emanating from him. She also saw sadness? Pleading. “ I knew Tora from school,” Candy lied “ I used to have a  _ big _ crush on him. I was very persistent and I stole a kiss from him under the game bleachers.”

Tora’s facial expression remained neutral, but she could see some recognition in his eyes that he knew what she was doing. Poppy looked unconvinced. “Don’t worry,” Candy continued “ I’m over it now.” Tora stared at her. “ Small town eh?” Candy asked him. Poppy pulled on Tora’s arm bringing him back to reality. “ Well, that's really interesting but we have to head back to work now. Take care, Candy. I hope your son likes his presents.”

Candy chuckled, feeling like a stone settled in her gut. “ Thanks again Pops, take care of her Tora she’s a good one.” Tora cautiously entered the care. When Poppy was inside and safely buckled, he fish tailed out of the street.

***** Epilogue

“ Okay” Candy said to herself as she looked at the spread she set up on their small kitchen table. Getting Ben to stay home on his birthday was like pulling teeth. It was almost as difficult arranging a night off from the club. The last week was a little strange for Candy. Not long after meeting her new acquaintance, a gal named Poppy she inadvertently discovered a huge secret about the Tiger of Ares Street. 

She expected within a day two to have an unpleasant surprise from some Clan thugs. Sure enough, while leaving the club a golden eyed giant met her at the back area of Club Miracle. Candy would have been lying if she wasn’t scared. This was a guy that was known for killing without conscious or hesitation. She figured Poppy didn’t know about his clan status and judging by his reaction he preferred to keep it that way. 

Candy braced herself against the back door as Tora stared her down. 

“ Hey I don’t want any trouble alright?” She said nervously. Tora continued his cold glare. 

“ I want to believe that but I’m not one of your fuckboys you trick into liking you Candy.”

Candy didn’t let the crap Clan thugs spout at her get to her often. This one however stung a bit. “ What about you? Does Poppy even know who you are? Maybe you would have been into me more if I collected more stuffed animals.”

Tora slammed his hands against the door caging her in. Candy swallowed hard. Any source of sass left her body and she began to feel the tremors of terror in her body. “ Please” she felt tears bubbling from her eyes streaming down her face “ I have a son.” Tora continued to glower at her, sympathy falling the wayside. She saw him reach into his jacket pocket and she was about to scream. Tora clamped his hand around her mouth and shoved something in her hand. Candy glanced down, it was a roll of cash. It was easily over a grand. Confused, she looked at Tora. “ We both have a lot to lose. Keep your mouth shut and we won’t have problems.” 

Candy looked at the cash, Tora freed her mouth but didn’t leave the space. “ Does she mean that much to you?” She didn’t know why she asked. He didn’t answer her. “ If I hear anything, and believe me I will know. I don’t want to hurt you or ya kid, Candy. But if ya push me…”

“ Okay I get it” Candy muttered. “ Tora, I know what you think of me, I’m a self serving bitch. But I’m not without some conscience. Poppy helped me out, she was nice. Maybe too nice.”

Tora just stared at her.  _ “ Creepy bastard”  _ she thought. “ I don’t want her wrapped up in anything like this either” Candy rubbed her shoulders self consciously “don’t laugh, but in a way she was like a nerdy little sister I never had.” To her relief Tora’s stance became a little more relaxed. It was a front of course, she knew he had a gun on him. All the clan guys did. 

Tora backed away, his eyes still fierce. Candy pocketed the cash in her purse. “ Wait,” Candy reached into her bag and pulled out Poppy’s business card. “ Take this back” Tora took the card from her, examining it. “ I can’t guarantee somebody won’t dig through my locker and find it.” Tora shoved the card in his pocket. “ Stay out of trouble Candy” he said and disappeared in the dimly lit parking lot.

Candy vomited when she got home that night.

Days passed and Candy kept her mouth shut. She didn’t see Tora around and didn’t care to know if he was. She had hoped returning Poppy’s business card was an additional sign of truce towards him. She felt a little sad though, it would have been nice hanging out with Poppy more. Candy also could see why Tora liked her so much: she was warm and friendly, she didn’t assume the worst of other people. “ And she had a really nice rack” she scoffed. 

“ Huh?” Ben walked into the kitchen, the black messenger bag over his shoulder. “ Nothing” Candy said and waved her hands over the kitchen table. There was a chocolate cake in the center of the table with 1 and 6 shaped candles lit in the middle. Carefully individually wrapped presents laid next to two table settings with white plates. “ Happy Birthday Benjamin J. Johnson!” She said. Ben cautiously set his bag down and sat at the kitchen table.

End.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
